Category Archives: French Hair Comb

Chanel: Bijoux de diamants

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On November 1, 1932, Coco Chanel exhibited her first fine jewelry collection in her “private rooms” at 29 Rue du Faubourg-St.-Honoré, Paris.

She wrote…

“I want jewelry to be like a ribbon around women’s fingers. I started creating costume jewelry because it was refreshingly free of arrogance, during a period that tended towards ostentatious displays of luxury. This consideration faded into the background during the economic recession, when, in every sphere of life, there emerged an instinctive desire for authenticity, and amusing trinkets were once again put in their proper perspective.

“If I have chosen diamonds, it is because they represent the greatest value in the smallest volume. And my love of things that glitter has inspired me to try and combine elegance and fashion through the medium of jewelry.” Paris, 1932

One of her revolutionary ideas was an irregularly shaped star. Not only did she feature it in her famous comet necklace, she put a star on a diadem.

A feathered brooch was also used as a hair ornament.

However, Coco had the worked hands of a great artist. Rodin or Camille Claudel could not have sculpted more beautiful hands.

Plique a’Jour Butterflies

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On E-bay, a monarch butterfly barrette made by Alexandre de Paris for Jean Paul Gaultier measures 5.5 inches long and 4.75 inches high: 3 to 4 times the size of other barrettes. Even though I feel the size was probably Gaultier’s idea, Alexandre de Paris’ couture designs innovate from sense of history.

This piece is special not only for its size, but for choosing to imitate plique a’jour enamel technique with modern acrylics.

Plique a’Jour (open to light) was developed in 14th Century France.
Translucent enamels were held in an open framework, which was made by soldering the metal pieces to each other. The framework could be removed after the enamels had cooled. It reached its peak during the art nouveau period, with the legendary jewelry of Lalique, Tiffany, and Faberge.

Here is a plique a’jour butterfly pin, c. 1900, from the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The gold and diamond frame sits atop red, blue, and green enamel.

Here is Gaultier’s version, made by Alexandre de Paris couture.

Three Easy Pieces

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These works will be auctioned at Sotheby’s on Dec. 9, 2010.

The barrette is by Cartier, circa 1905. In front, a setting of old European-cut diamonds weighs about 5 carats. Blonde tortoiseshell in back completes the piece. Price estimate: $10,000 – $15,000.

The French made magnificent H combs out of ivory and boxwood during the 15th and 16th centuries. As Medieval painting and music began to express secular themes, so the scenes carved into these combs were about love or decoration, not God. This French Medieval comb is made out of boxwood, has an intricately decorative theme, allows light to shine through it, and is estimated to be worth 6,000 to 8,000 GBP.

Our last piece is a brooch-barrette Louis Comfort Tiffany made for his father’s store, Tiffany & Co, circa 1920. He used 18-karat gold, platinum, set a round black opal in the center, and surrounded it with demantoid (green) and spessartite (orange) garnets. The garnets are accented by sapphires.

French Silver Beauty

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By the way the tines are welded on the back, I’d place this silver beauty in France, c. 1850. The first layer of this tiara comb is an intricate rectangular silver design, on top of which is a smaller strip with a larger pattern. Three medalions are welded to the strip in the front so they can hold the arched tiara bridge, punctuated by roses and silver buttons.

I think this is a one-of-a-kind original piece, which shows the thought of the craftsman at a time when many combs remained unsigned. Because there are no pearls or other jewels, it was not made for an aristocrat, but I can imagine it enhanced the beauty of any woman lucky enough to have worn it.

A little gem on ebay

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The only mark on it is Sterling, but this beautiful hair pin depicts two Gingko leaves with a bug. It’s made with cloisonne enamel. The colors are gorgeous. It seems very Japonisme to me, so I don’t know if the maker was French or Japanese, but it sold for $275 on September 16. Congratulations to the winner.

Ah, Art Nouveau

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My first piece today is actually a British arts and crafts piece by Arthur and Georgie Gaskin, c. 1910. The raised silver-foliage design is bookmarked by pearls. Provenance: Arthur & Georgie Gaskin, City Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham, 1982, page 87.

This is a spectacular art nouveau diadem of a Byzantine princess. It is French; made of gold, opal, and diamonds; c.1900. Unmarked, it is attributed to Fouquet or Vever.

This is an original Lalique drawing of a comb with two Japanese rhinoceros beetles fighting each other (Thank you to member ch for making this correction). The comb was probably to be made out of horn. Maybe the fighting rhinoceros beetles and their feet, performing the engineering function of holding the chains, would be silver, and the jewels in the dangles would be pearls. What a knockout.

My last piece for this morning is a Lalique pendant, whose centerpiece can easily be taken off and worn in the hair. This piece is so gorgeous, it takes my breath away. The ornament depicts poppies made of glass, enamel, and gold.

Haute Couture: Chaumet

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This year, Chaumet is putting hair necklaces and tiaras on the front line of his collection for the very first time. He wants diamonds to adorn the head like a “reign of gold,” rings to “alight the hair for a new wearing,” and gold lace to “weave in and out of the hair.” I think what he has done is magnificent.

Creative-Museum.com

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There is a completeness to this 2500-comb collection, as it spans the whole world and time. Most individual collections specialize. This museum brings together the love of many in a dazzling display of hair comb art. The pictures are a community unto themselves.

The museum founders state, “There is nowhere you can see this collection, since it is private. As the owners want to share its resources with everyone, CREATIVE MUSEUM will do its best to offer all the services you could find in a museum: a temporary exhibition with a special theme, a view of the permanent collection, background information and more: expertise.”

Here are a few comparisons and pictures. From the museum:

I believe this is my picture of the same comb in 2004.

Here is a Manchurian hairpin from the collection.

This is my Manchu piece.

And here are just three pictures, which reveal the eye of the collective mastery that brings this project to life. The still-life photography is superb.

An African bird.

A Bonaz Mantilla comb.

A Chinese diadem.

Citrine Tiara Comb

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The French put many dressings on these large brass tiara combs. I have one with opals. Sometimes the tines are bent so the top can be worn as a tiara. Other times, the comb is in its original formation.

This one, c. 1830, has French import marks and two rows of citrines in graduating sizes. The stones are clean, translucent, and well matched in color. The first row of stones is supported by a bridge of brass leaves separated by balls, which attaches to the comb with a floral applique. Its estimated worth is between 3000 and 4000 GBP.

The Empress Eugenie Tiara

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Napoleon had jeweler Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier (circa 1808-1884) make this piece c. 1850. In the Louis XVI style, a filigree silver-gilt mount is over crusted with 1998 small diamonds. They surround much larger pearls, and give them absolute priority. The largest drop-shaped pearl in the top-most position is believed to be the “Perle Napoleon”

Here is Empress Eugenie wearing it.